Assuming cost is equal between buying a board w/ RAID vs buying a board without RAID + a separate PCI RAID controller card, how does the performance differ. Does a separate PCI RAID controller card offer any additiopnal performance over integrated on-board RAID???
On-Board RAID vs PCI RAID Controller Cards?
- Thread starter rpr
- Start date
Depends upon the individual card your specifying. Personally I'd go with a controller card, just so I could get an actual hardware RAID implementation. I hate the crappy software RAID implementations that have become common on many motherboards.
Not to mention that if you get the board with raid and decide to change motherboards, you have to find yet another board with raid...just get the controller, as you may prefer to use a certain controller that may not be on the motherboard of your choice.
Well, I say get a PCI RAID card...I'm assuming you're going to do a RAID 0 stripe. In that case, you will be using software-based RAID in the form of popular PCI cards (ie: Promise Fasttrack 100TX2). Don't worry too much about software or hardware--if you have a processor of 700MHz or higher, you'll be OK with software RAID.
The reason why I recommend PCI cards instead of onboard (which is what I'm using) is because you'll get much better driver support using an actual PCI card. Consider my situation, A7V133 mobo with onboard Promise controller...ASUS released a WinXP driver but XP still claims that the driver isn't signed and upon boot up, I get a prompt saying that the device will be disabled because it doesn't have driver support (although it appears that my RAID array is still functional--weird sh*t).
The reason why I recommend PCI cards instead of onboard (which is what I'm using) is because you'll get much better driver support using an actual PCI card. Consider my situation, A7V133 mobo with onboard Promise controller...ASUS released a WinXP driver but XP still claims that the driver isn't signed and upon boot up, I get a prompt saying that the device will be disabled because it doesn't have driver support (although it appears that my RAID array is still functional--weird sh*t).
<< Depends upon the individual card your specifying. Personally I'd go with a controller card, just so I could get an actual hardware RAID implementation. I hate the crappy software RAID implementations that have become common on many motherboards. >>
Most of the PCI RAID cards available are not true hardware RAID, they're no different than the ones on the motherboard & there would be no performance difference given the chipsets were the same.
If you want real HW Raid you'll big $$$ for it.
Viper GTS <-- Wants a 64-bit 33 MHz PCI RAID card that uses 168 pin DIMMS for cache
Viper GTS is right, the REAL hardware RAID controllers are BIG bucks...anandtech has an article on it actually...
I got a nice 32-bit one to sell ya Viper 
AMI MegaRAID Express 500 series...
oh and RAID + IDE = BAD
AMI MegaRAID Express 500 series...
oh and RAID + IDE = BAD
<<
Most of the PCI RAID cards available are not true hardware RAID, they're no different than the ones on the motherboard & there would be no performance difference given the chipsets were the same.
>>
True, but anyone that really needs RAID is better off spending tha extra money for a decent hardware RAID adapter.
I'm partial to 3Ware's 'Escalade' series of products personally.
After purchasing (2) motherboards with on-board RAID, i realize purchasing (2) PCI RAID cards would have been a better choice in the long run. When these boards get the boot, i'll be short (2) RAID controllers for my new systems. I don't even use the RAID functions, just wanted the extra IDE ports.
I'd rather have the flexability of swapping the RAID card into any system i wished.
I'd rather have the flexability of swapping the RAID card into any system i wished.
OK, so it's unanimous, I'm in the market for a PCI RAID card. What is the best <$100 card to get. How is the Promise Fasttrack 100TX2 that was mentioned (Newegg has this for $75). I caan't seem to find 3Ware's 'Escalade' anywhere.
By the way, I am talking about IDE RAID here. Probably the 2 Maxtor ATA100 40GB 7200rpm drives I just got from the OD thread for $100 each (before a $30 rebate on each). Am I wasting my time? Will I see a noticeable performance increase? Tx!
By the way, I am talking about IDE RAID here. Probably the 2 Maxtor ATA100 40GB 7200rpm drives I just got from the OD thread for $100 each (before a $30 rebate on each). Am I wasting my time? Will I see a noticeable performance increase? Tx!
<< I caan't seem to find 3Ware's 'Escalade' anywhere.
By the way, I am talking about IDE RAID here. Probably the 2 Maxtor ATA100 40GB 7200rpm drives I just got from the OD thread for $100 each (before a $30 rebate on each). Am I wasting my time? Will I see a noticeable performance increase? Tx! >>
The Escalade is in no way shape or form a budget IDE RAID controller. Escalade sticks to the high end RAID markets, there isnt a chance you'll find even their cheapest products anywhere remotely near $100.
Frankly, I'd pass on RAID altogether unless you have an actual need for a RAID setup and even then I wouldnt bother unless your willing to pay the money for a real decent hardware RAID controller card.
If you absolutely must have RAID and it absolutely must be the cheapest form of RAID possible, then for most home users even the software RAID supported by default in Windows2000/WinXP is adequate enough for most home users.
The more I learn, the less benefit I see (in terms of performance). Just received the latest copy of Maximum PC. They have a decent little article on the performance benefits/hits from using various RAID arrays. They state that write times are improved with a RAID 0 array.
However, I was hoping to increase read performance (to speed application launching). For that purpose, their recommendation is to stay away from RAID and to find a fast single hard drive with a large cache (ie: 8MB). Looks like one of those Maxtors might be going back to OD.
However, I was hoping to increase read performance (to speed application launching). For that purpose, their recommendation is to stay away from RAID and to find a fast single hard drive with a large cache (ie: 8MB). Looks like one of those Maxtors might be going back to OD.
I was about to purchase the Abit KR7A until I learned that it was likely to conflict with my SCSI card. Abit has since announced a fix, but before they did I bought a non-RAID m/b (Shuttle AK31A, which works fine).
I still wanted RAID, so I gambled on an ACard 6880 - much less expensive than Promise and also supports ATA 133. I've attached two 40GB Maxtor 7200rpm ATA 133 drives, and all works fine. The m/b BIOS, the Adaptec SCSI BIOS, and the ACard BIOS are, amazingly, co-existing. The m/b and the ACard total cost is about the same as the Abit KR7A, but this approach does cost you a PCI slot.
I benchmarked using the speed tester that is part of the Roxio CD burner s/w. The reported performance improvement is too big to believe. Can anyone recommend a good, free, disk benchmark program? Thx.
I still wanted RAID, so I gambled on an ACard 6880 - much less expensive than Promise and also supports ATA 133. I've attached two 40GB Maxtor 7200rpm ATA 133 drives, and all works fine. The m/b BIOS, the Adaptec SCSI BIOS, and the ACard BIOS are, amazingly, co-existing. The m/b and the ACard total cost is about the same as the Abit KR7A, but this approach does cost you a PCI slot.
I benchmarked using the speed tester that is part of the Roxio CD burner s/w. The reported performance improvement is too big to believe. Can anyone recommend a good, free, disk benchmark program? Thx.
Just get one on the board. The add on cards typically use the same controller and software as ones built onto the board. Also, getting an add on card just uses up a PCI slot.
IMO IDE RAID on a home computer is a waste anyway unless you have a business at home and plan on mirroring to protect data.
IMO IDE RAID on a home computer is a waste anyway unless you have a business at home and plan on mirroring to protect data.
it is a waste, but its a fun toy
pci raid card = better driver support
onboard raid = dont use a pci slot
raid + ide = bad???
i sure got a boost in porformance, well according to sandra i did
pci raid card = better driver support
onboard raid = dont use a pci slot
raid + ide = bad???
i sure got a boost in porformance, well according to sandra i did
well I can only tell you from my experience.
I had to switch back to my old PII motherboard because a very large harddrive I had was conflicting with the On Board RAID controller and freezing my computer at the boot screen with my new motherboard.
The part that sucks is that in my particular motherboard there is no way to disable the On-Board RAID controller.
So for me personally in the future the only way I'll buy another RAID motherboard is if I can disable the RAID controller.
I had to switch back to my old PII motherboard because a very large harddrive I had was conflicting with the On Board RAID controller and freezing my computer at the boot screen with my new motherboard.
The part that sucks is that in my particular motherboard there is no way to disable the On-Board RAID controller.
So for me personally in the future the only way I'll buy another RAID motherboard is if I can disable the RAID controller.
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